News Desk
LONDON: The United Kingdom’s (UK) prime minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday dismissed the Conservative party chair Nadhim Zahawi amid “a serious breach of the Ministerial Code.”
The Tori party chair was under pressure both in parliament and from the media to fully explain a multi-million-pound settlement he paid to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – a department in the UK Government responsible for the collection of taxes.
“Tax error was not deliberate”
On January 21, Zahawi in a statement attempted to clarify his tax affairs, including his settlement with HMRC, and said the tax error was ‘careless and not deliberate’.
The UK PM had earlier launched an independent ethics inquiry after it emerged that Zahawi had paid a penalty to HMRC over his taxes when he was chancellor.
In a letter to Zahawi, Sunak said the ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, had concluded there was a “serious breach” of the ministerial code. “As a result, I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s Government,” he said.
PM Sunak, who had promised “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level” of his government had been under increasing pressure to dismiss Zahawi from the cabinet, with his judgment coming under question from Tory MPs for reappointing him.
